The debt would grow by about $4.5 trillion by 2012 under former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum and by about $7 trillion under former House speaker Newt Gingrich, reaching a level greater than 100 percent of the nation's economy, according to a report to be released on Thursday by U.S. Budget Watch, a project of the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney's proposals would pair $1.35 trillion in tax cuts with $1.2 trillion in spending reductions, setting the debt to rise "on a trajectory that closely tracks current policies," The Post reported. But the 20 percent, across-the-board federal income tax cut proposed by Romney on Wednesday could reduce revenues by an additional $3.5 trillion over the next decade, The Post reported.
Only Texas Rep. Ron Paul's plans would reduce the national debt—by about $2 trillion—thanks to huge promised spending cuts he would combine with proposed tax cuts.
The group plans to analyze Obama’s budget request in a future report.